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Next Issue offers all-you-can-read iPad magazine store
It's being called kind of a Netflix for magazines, and the description is apt. Five top U.S. publishers have gotten together to provide an iPad app that lets you read a great variety of magazines at a price of U.S. $9.99-$14.99 per month. The new company is called Next Issue and it's a rather bold idea. The publishers are Condé Nast, Hearst, Meredith, News Corp. and Time Inc. Magazines included in the 'Unlimited Basic plan' at $9.99 are All You, Allure, Better Homes and Gardens, Bon Appétit, Brides, Car and Driver, Coastal Living, Condé Nast Traveler, Cooking Light, ELLE, Esquire, Essence, Fitness, Fortune, Glamour, Golf, Golf Digest, GQ, Health, InStyle, Money, Parents, People en Español, People StyleWatch, Popular Mechanics, Real Simple, Self, Southern Living, Sports Illustrated Kids, Sunset, This Old House, Vanity Fair, Vogue and Wired. The Unlimited Premium plan, which is $14.99, has all the above titles plus weeklies and back issues of Entertainment Weekly, People, Sports Illustrated, The New Yorker and Time. More magazines will be added over time, and the company will no doubt try to interest other publishers to join in. "Customers will see their magazines come to life in spectacular fashion," said John Loughlin, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Hearst Magazines. "Next Issue for iPad delivers an immersive and engaging experience, while the technology seems to disappear and get out of the way." The company says 30-day free trials are available for all subscription plans and print subscribers can add digital editions of the same titles for free or a nominal cost. If you want the free trial you can't do it from within the app. You must go to nextissue.com. You give them a credit card number, and if you don't cancel you'll start getting billed after your free month. Not my favorite way of doing a free trial, but there you are. I gave the app a try and signed up for the trial. There's a good selection of magazines, but more than half were of no interest to me. Even then, the pricing is pretty good and quite a bit below what I considered some of the extortionate pricing for electronic magazine subscriptions before Next Issue came on the scene. If you're a voracious reader, I think Next Issue is certainly worth the free trial, and kudos to the companies involved for trying something new and more reasonably priced.
Sony PRS-T2 Reader drops by the FCC, teases e-book lovers ahead of launch
We can always count on the good ole Federal Communications Commission for a sneak peek at the latest wireless-communicating gadgets ahead of launch. Sometimes our probes are met with full-on spec sheets and user manuals to peruse, while often we're greeted with a simple model name and number, and perhaps a hint of said wireless capabilities in a test report. That's what we have today -- most of the information available is listed in that product label above, including confirmation that we're looking at a Sony Reader with the model number PRS-T2. Additionally, the report reveals that the device will sport 802.11b/g/n WiFi (but not 3G), along with a microSD slot for external storage. For now, that's all we have to share, but you're welcome to do some digging of your own at the FCC link below.
Sony launches web store for e-Books, Android app also gets refresh
Sony has decided to join the web-based shopping party, launching an online reader store for its e-inked devices and companion apps. Any e-Books purchased will arrive ready-to-read on the Reader app or other suitably wireless device, with titles also working on any Adobe DRM-supported apps and devices. Sony's Reader app has benefited from a UI redesign, the addition of a landscape view and improved stability. Hit up the source to grab the update -- before your phone tells you to.
HyperPDF for OS X offers page-turning reader for PDF books
Why should iBooks have all the fun? The US$9.99 HyperPDF app for OS X from developer NeoMobili lets you turn PDF pages nearly as beautifully. Use swipe gestures to move through pages in the app's easily accessible "reader mode." That's not all you can do with HyperPDF. The app offers many of the same annotation features as Preview as well as a presentation mode (although you cannot as-of-yet combine PDFs or move around pages). In presentations, you can transform your PDFs into slides, using numerous built-in transitions to move from one screen to the next. I gave the features a once-over and they all seemed to work as advertised. It's the reader mode here, however, that's the visual stand-out. The page turns offer a really nice way to browse books on your Mac. I was less impressed by the tedium involved in the presentation mode. Perhaps I missed the point, but adding separate transitions for each page left me cold. Instead, I'd really like to see the app grow and focus more on the reader component. It needs to offer more built-in options as part of the reading presentation, rather than separating out the annotation aspect. For example, I'd love to be able to add bookmarks, highlights, and other annotations from within the reader. Also, I wish search were integrated directly, as that's a big part of how I work with books on my Mac. And, unfortunately, you cannot highlight or copy text from that view. Put these together into a coherent single UI, and NeoMobili might have a winner on its hands. HyperPDF shows great promise but as it stands, it lacks a little maturity that end-users might expect from a $10 App Store app, especially when compared to iBooks on iOS. I like the reading presentation a lot but I was left wishing for more. The app developer tells me that he plans to port the app to iOS and to offer shared iCloud syncing between platforms. Other things on his to-do list include: "a find feature, outline and link support in reading mode, bookmarks support (with iCloud synch), zoom in reading mode, and notes in reading mode." Thanks, Chris Roy
VeriFone outs Sail mobile payment system, gives Square the evil eye
VeriFone has decided that calling out claimed security holes and focusing on enterprise-level payment options aren't enough to take on Square. Sail goes more directly for Square's jugular, using its own plug-in dongle to handle major credit card payments in your local coffee shop or a mid-sized outlet. The VeriFone party trick comes through having multiple payment options, where shopkeeps can either choose to pay a flat 2.7 percent cut of every sale, or shell out a $10 monthly fee to lower the transactional take to 1.95 percent. Programming interfaces will let you hook in deals from social networks, too. And as you might expect, the company is still keen to tie Sail to its traditional payment systems, opening the door to NFC readers as well as other payment hardware that isn't quite as mobile. Stores with iPhones will be the only ones using the free Sail mobile apps and readers at first, but Android- and iPad-toting entrepreneurs will have their alternative to Square or PayPal Here as soon as the end of May.
Read it Later becomes Pocket, drops its price to free
Skimming the news later is no match for consuming it fresh, but we still live in a world with connectivity dead zones -- riding the subway, cruising the Pacific at 35,000 feet -- making an offline reading app a necessity for oft-disconnected consumers. Pocket, formerly known as "Read it Later," lets you save online content to read when you're not within web's reach, or even when you are. Pocket could also be a good resource for folks that stumble upon some interesting content, but simply don't have time to read it at that very moment. You can also grab videos and images to watch later -- everything is presented in a clean, easy to view format, searchable by publication, keyword or custom tags. And while the former version -- Read it Later -- ran you a cool 99 cents, Pocket is free, and available now for Android, iOS and the Kindle Fire.
Google Currents app updated with international support, offline reading
Folks in the US have been able to use the Google Currents app to read various websites (including this one) with more of a magazine-style layout since late last year, and now those outside the country can finally get in on the act as well. Google has today rolled out version 1.1 of the app for Android and iOS, which makes the service available worldwide with support for 44 languages, and adds a number of other improvements including the ability to select which editions have images for offline reading, instant online sync, translation for 38 languages and a promised 7X performance boost. As before, the app is completely free, and adapts the layout to suit both phones and tablets. Hit the links below to download it for the platform of your choice.
Adobe Mobile Reader 10.2 adds signature, form support
For years, you've been eager to dump that aging landline-tethered fax machine, but those occasional signature requirements have forced you to delay the disposal, time and time again. Well it might just finally be time to kick that beige beast to the curb. The latest version of Adobe Mobile Reader for Android and iOS effectively negates that need for scanning signatures, delivering that functionality through an in-app Ink Signature tool instead. You'll also want to take Note of the free-hand drawing option, text markup feature, sticky notes, EchoSign integration, intra-document link and form support, search tool and thumbnail navigation -- all available in Mobile Reader 10.2. There's also an update to the desktop app, Adobe Reader X (10.1.3), which includes the same Ink Signature Tool and EchoSign integration available in the mobile version. Click through to our source link for all the juicy deets.
Shocker: People who read e-books read more
Are you ready for a bombshell? Turns out people who read e-books read more books than those don't. That tidbit comes from the number crunchers at Pew. According to a new report titled "The Rise of E-Reading," the e-book readers read an average of 24 books in the past year, versus the 15 books read by those who didn't. Also, not particularly surprising is the fact that the percent of folks reading e-books is on the rise as well -- the number who claimed to have read an e-book in the year prior made a bit of a jump from 17-percent in December to 21-percent in February. Naturally, the whole printed thing is still a bit more widespread, with 72-percent claiming to have read a paper-type book in the year prior, when surveyed back in December.
Mobile Miscellany: week of March 26th, 2012
Not all mobile news is destined for the front page, but if you're like us and really want to know what's going on, then you've come to the right place. This past week, we've seen hints of a Droid Bionic 2, and unfortunately, a number of T-Mobile customers will need to brace for a price hike. These stories and more await after the break. So buy the ticket and take the ride as we explore the "best of the rest" for this week of March 26th, 2012.
Nokia Reader comes to Series 40 'touch and type' devices
This week, everyone's favorite Finnish phone fabricator announced the availability of Nokia Reader for Series 40 touch and type devices. Those familiar with the software know that Reader provides a flow of local and international headlines -- customized by you -- directly to your device's home screen. Nokia boasts that users of its C2-02, X3-02, C3-01, Asha 303 and Asha 300 handsets will be able to stay abreast on all the news without having to worry about battery consumption, thanks to Nokia Notifications. If we've piqued your interest, mosey on past the break to see a video of the bits in action then hit the source link to grab the goods.
Nook Simple Touch gets upgrade to fix WiFi issues, offers 'minor enhancements'
Remember the Nook Simple Touch WiFi issues we told you about, way back when? Barnes & Noble promised that it was working "diligently" to address the connectivity problems, and now it seem that help has arrived. A rep for the company confirmed that a fix is among the "minor system enhancements" promised in the 1.1.2 upgrade for the e-reader. WiFi connected devices will start receiving the upgrade this week. If you're amongst those who can't connect -- or if you're just a bit antsy -- click the source link for a manual download. Let us know if the upgrade did the trick in the comments below.
T-Mobile brings Square to select small businesses, does the mobile payment thing
T-Mobile is throwing some of its weight behind the mobile payment movement this morning, becoming the first carrier to offer Square credit card readers to a handful of retail outlets. Under the company's new campaign, stores equipped with T-Mobile smartphones will be able to use Jack Dorsey's readers to finalize transactions from the comfort of their palms. This should come in handy for cash-only businesses, in particular, as T-Mobile emphasized in its announcement today. It's all part of the provider's lineup of small business offerings, though not every retailer will be involved at launch. To see the full list of Squared-up outlets, check out the source link below.
Amazon's Send to Kindle lets you send stuff to your Kindle
Do you like Amazon Kindles? Do you like PCs? Do you like documents? Would you like to send documents from your PC to your Kindle? Fantastic, because that's totally what you can do with Amazon's new Send to Kindle software. You might wanna take this opportunity to grab a notepad, because it's sort of complicated: download the program for free, fire up Windows Explorer, find a document, right-click it, and choose Send to Kindle. You can also save documents to download at a later date and synchronize your bookmarks, notes and highlights across all (non-PDF) documents, which is pretty wild, if you think about it. Windows users can dramatically change their lives at the source link below. Mac users will have to wait a little longer.
iPhone icon cupcakes look touchable, tasty
We haven't posted a really good iPhone cake in quite a while now, so here we go: Reader Tim sends in this set of cupcakes that his girlfriend made him for his 21st birthday, and boy do they look good. There are a few things that, as Apple obsessive, we would call out in there, including the fact that this cake uses the old iPod logo instead of the new Music app logo, and the fact that the phone happens to be tilted the wrong way in these pictures. But hey, that's just us nitpicking -- these look great, very nice job, and I especially like the custom day and date, as well as the special message on the Notes icon. Happy belated birthday, Tim, and you've got one very talented and sweet lady there.
Kyobo eReader with Mirasol display gets video walkthrough, does things E Ink can't
Qualcomm's Mirasol display technology was supposedly inspired by butterfly wings, and its progress over the past year has been appropriately erratic. It was happening, then it wasn't, then it was again -- but only in the Korea-confined Kyobo e-Reader. Despite all the flitting about, however, some consistent promises have been made: a 'converged' screen that's like E Ink because it requires no backlight and lasts for "weeks" on a single charge, and like LCD in its ability to refresh quickly and handle color video. Thanks to Netbook News, we now have some eyes-on of the 5.7-inch, 1024 x 768 Kyobo in action, powered by a 1GHz single-core Snapdragon S2 and Android 2.3, and it's yours for the glimpsing right after the break. There's room for improvement, especially with color saturation, viewing angles and reflectiveness, but we're not quibbling -- this ₩349,000 ($310) device evidently lives up to its central claim.
Flipboard launches on iPhone, iPod Touch, introduces 'Cover Stories' feature
Flipboard has now arrived on a slightly smaller board. Previously available as an iPad-only affair, the popular magazine and social media app has now launched on both the iPhone and iPod Touch, bringing graphics-laden aggregation to a wider swath of the iOS community. This new universal version features much of the same functionality you'll find on its iPad predecessor, along with a new Cover Stories interface, which collects and displays all your recent photo uploads, shared articles and status updates from select social networks. If you're intrigued, you can download it for free at the source link, below.
Sony Reader WiFi officially drops to $129.99
Love 'em or hate 'em, one thing's for sure -- e-readers just keep getting cheaper. The latest to see a dip in price is the Sony Reader WiFi, which debuted at $149.99 just a couple of months back, but has now received a permanent drop to $129.99. What's more, Sony is also running a trade-in program through the end of December that will give you an additional $50 off if you turn in any old e-reader. Not quite the instant discount that an ad-supported Kindle gives you, but certainly not a bad deal if you're looking to upgrade from an older model.
Free iPad comic tells the story of Operation Ajax
I've been reading a lot of comics on the iPad lately, and while I love my iPad for a lot of reasons, I think reading comics is one of the best reasons to own an iPad. The big, beautiful screen brings comic art to life exquisitely, most apps allow you to zoom in and out of bigger pages at will, and the touch interface makes flipping a page as easy as, well, flipping a page. So I have no problem at all with free comics to download on the iPad, and that's exactly what Operation Ajax is. It's a historical comic (so no superheroes, for those of you into that, unfortunately), about the CIA's operation to cause a coup d'état in Iran in 1953. The app features full sound and motion as you're reading through the pages, along with lots of background information about the real-life story and even some newsreel videos to check out. And right now at launch, the app is completely free. Excellent deal, and a great way to get started in comics on the iPad if you haven't yet. After that, I highly recommend the Comixology app for buying digital comics directly, and I've been using the free ComicBookLover for reading my own .CBR digital files. I've been reading plenty of things in iBooks, too, but the iPad really seems made for reading some great comics.
Nook Tablet's Read and Record hands-on (video)
The multimedia features on the new Nook Tablet mean more than just watching video and listening to music -- they actually give a bit of a boost to the reading experience, as well. One of the best implementations of this is the new Read and Record feature, an update to the Nook Color's Read and Play feature, which takes advantage of the Tablet's new mic to let users (parents in most cases, we assume) record narration to children's books. It's a simple but clever addition that certainly drives home the product's value for families. The feature lets you record custom narration on each page of compatible texts, offering up the words as a script. Once recorded, the text can be saved with a simple icon, so kids can play it back themselves -- in the case of our hands-on demo, it was a gingerbread man (fitting, perhaps, given the OS we're working with). The feature is equally simple to use on both sides of the equation, and is a nice little bonus for parents who, for whatever reason, can't always be around to read to the kids. Video after the break.
